Like Landrieu, both of the candidates in Saturday's election are Democrats. Cantrell is the city's first female mayor.

Landrieu is credited with accelerating the recovery from Hurricane Katrina. But Saturday's winner inherits lingering problems. Crime is one. Another is dysfunction at the agency overseeing city drainage and drinking water.

Negative campaigns sometimes overshadowed issues. Cantrell faced questions about here use of a city credit card. Charbonnet was cast by critics as an insider who would steer city work to political allies.